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| Fear of violence hangs over Venezuela assembly election | Fear of violence hangs over Venezuela assembly election |
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| Streets were near-deserted on Sunday as Venezuelans trickled to the polls to elect a constitutional super-body that United Socialist party leader President Nicolás Maduro has vowed would begin a new era for the crisis-stricken nation. | Streets were near-deserted on Sunday as Venezuelans trickled to the polls to elect a constitutional super-body that United Socialist party leader President Nicolás Maduro has vowed would begin a new era for the crisis-stricken nation. |
| Maduro, under fire for overseeing an economic collapse during four years in office, has pressed ahead with the vote to create the all-powerful assembly despite the threat of further US sanctions and months of opposition protests in which more than 115 people have been killed. | Maduro, under fire for overseeing an economic collapse during four years in office, has pressed ahead with the vote to create the all-powerful assembly despite the threat of further US sanctions and months of opposition protests in which more than 115 people have been killed. |
| Opposition parties are boycotting what they call a rigged election and have planned protests on highways across the country. Scuffles have already been reported in the provinces – raising the prospect of violent clashes with troops deployed to safeguard the vote. | Opposition parties are boycotting what they call a rigged election and have planned protests on highways across the country. Scuffles have already been reported in the provinces – raising the prospect of violent clashes with troops deployed to safeguard the vote. |
| Authorities confirmed there were two deaths on Saturday, including the killing of a candidate to the assembly during a robbery, while the opposition put the total death toll during the day’s protests at five. | Authorities confirmed there were two deaths on Saturday, including the killing of a candidate to the assembly during a robbery, while the opposition put the total death toll during the day’s protests at five. |
| Critics have said the assembly would allow Maduro to dissolve the opposition-run congress, delay future elections and rewrite electoral rules to prevent the socialists from being voted out of power in the once-prosperous Opec nation. | Critics have said the assembly would allow Maduro to dissolve the opposition-run congress, delay future elections and rewrite electoral rules to prevent the socialists from being voted out of power in the once-prosperous Opec nation. |
| The opposition has vowed to redouble its resistance and US president Donald Trump has promised broader economic sanctions against Venezuela after the vote, suggesting the oil-rich nation’s crisis is set to escalate. | The opposition has vowed to redouble its resistance and US president Donald Trump has promised broader economic sanctions against Venezuela after the vote, suggesting the oil-rich nation’s crisis is set to escalate. |
| “Even if they win today, this won’t last long,” said opposition supporter Berta Hernandez, a 60-year-old doctor, in a wealthy Caracas district. “I’ll continue on the streets because, not long from now, this will come to an end.” | “Even if they win today, this won’t last long,” said opposition supporter Berta Hernandez, a 60-year-old doctor, in a wealthy Caracas district. “I’ll continue on the streets because, not long from now, this will come to an end.” |
| Undeterred, Maduro, a former bus driver and union leader narrowly elected in 2013 a month after the death of Hugo Chávez, has accused right-wing governments of trying to sabotage “21st century socialism”. | Undeterred, Maduro, a former bus driver and union leader narrowly elected in 2013 a month after the death of Hugo Chávez, has accused right-wing governments of trying to sabotage “21st century socialism”. |
| “We’re going all out with this constituent assembly,” said Maduro, as he voted at 6am in a low-income area of the capital Caracas. | “We’re going all out with this constituent assembly,” said Maduro, as he voted at 6am in a low-income area of the capital Caracas. |
| With polls showing some 70% of Venezuelans oppose the constituent assembly, Maduro’s administration is hoping to avoid a low turnout, which would further undermine his legitimacy. | With polls showing some 70% of Venezuelans oppose the constituent assembly, Maduro’s administration is hoping to avoid a low turnout, which would further undermine his legitimacy. |
| Venezuela’s 2.8 million state employees are under huge pressure to vote – with some two dozen sources telling Reuters they had been threatened with dismissal if they did not. | Venezuela’s 2.8 million state employees are under huge pressure to vote – with some two dozen sources telling Reuters they had been threatened with dismissal if they did not. |
| At state oil company Petróleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA), workers received text messages asking them to send in their national identification number once they had voted, two sources said. They said they feared the plan was to identify who had sat out the election. | At state oil company Petróleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA), workers received text messages asking them to send in their national identification number once they had voted, two sources said. They said they feared the plan was to identify who had sat out the election. |
| The electoral council has ordered journalists to go no closer than 500 metres from voting centres, a move the opposition says is designed to hide paltry turnout. | The electoral council has ordered journalists to go no closer than 500 metres from voting centres, a move the opposition says is designed to hide paltry turnout. |
| Fuelling anger against Maduro is an economic meltdown in the country of 32 million people, which was once a magnet for European migrants thanks to a booming economy that was the envy of Latin America. | Fuelling anger against Maduro is an economic meltdown in the country of 32 million people, which was once a magnet for European migrants thanks to a booming economy that was the envy of Latin America. |
| But after nearly two decades of Socialist party rule, currency and price controls have seen many businesses vanish. | But after nearly two decades of Socialist party rule, currency and price controls have seen many businesses vanish. |
| Millions of Venezuelans now struggle to eat three times a day due to product shortages and steep inflation that has put products like rice and flour out of reach. | |
| Venezuelans rummaging through garbage or begging by food stores are a common sight. | Venezuelans rummaging through garbage or begging by food stores are a common sight. |
| “Sometimes I take bread from my mouth and give it to my two kids,” said pharmacy employee Trina Sanchez, 28, as she waited for a bus to work. “This is a farce. I want to slap Maduro.” | “Sometimes I take bread from my mouth and give it to my two kids,” said pharmacy employee Trina Sanchez, 28, as she waited for a bus to work. “This is a farce. I want to slap Maduro.” |
| To show the scale of public anger, the opposition earlier this month organised an unofficial referendum over Maduro’s plan. | To show the scale of public anger, the opposition earlier this month organised an unofficial referendum over Maduro’s plan. |
| A strong turnout of more than 7 million voters overwhelmingly rejected the constituent assembly and voted in favour of early general elections. | |
| But democratic pathways to political change have been blocked. The opposition’s bid last year to hold a recall referendum against Maduro was foiled, regional elections were postponed and the president has repeatedly ignored the opposition-led congress. | But democratic pathways to political change have been blocked. The opposition’s bid last year to hold a recall referendum against Maduro was foiled, regional elections were postponed and the president has repeatedly ignored the opposition-led congress. |
| As global condemnation mounts, the US last week sanctioned 13 socialist party leaders, in part as a response to the election, and Colombia’s president Juan Manuel Santos said his country would not recognise the constituent assembly. | As global condemnation mounts, the US last week sanctioned 13 socialist party leaders, in part as a response to the election, and Colombia’s president Juan Manuel Santos said his country would not recognise the constituent assembly. |
| Furious that Maduro is ploughing ahead and fearful of what will come after Sunday, some opposition activists were trying to block the vote. | Furious that Maduro is ploughing ahead and fearful of what will come after Sunday, some opposition activists were trying to block the vote. |
| In the western state of Táchira, several hundred people on Saturday burned voting machines set up in two schools. | In the western state of Táchira, several hundred people on Saturday burned voting machines set up in two schools. |
| About 50 polling stations in that state are not in operation because demonstrators destroyed voting materials or prevented them from being set up in the first place, according to an opposition representative. | About 50 polling stations in that state are not in operation because demonstrators destroyed voting materials or prevented them from being set up in the first place, according to an opposition representative. |
| Government assembly candidate Felix Pineda, 39, was shot dead during a robbery at his home on Saturday night in the state of Bolivar, the state prosecutor’s office said. A 38-year-old man was killed during a protest in the mountainous state of Merida on Saturday, the office added. | Government assembly candidate Felix Pineda, 39, was shot dead during a robbery at his home on Saturday night in the state of Bolivar, the state prosecutor’s office said. A 38-year-old man was killed during a protest in the mountainous state of Merida on Saturday, the office added. |
| Enthusiasm was low even among many supporters of “Chavismo,” the movement founded by Chávez, Maduro’s more charismatic predecessor who enjoyed high oil prices for much of his time in office. | Enthusiasm was low even among many supporters of “Chavismo,” the movement founded by Chávez, Maduro’s more charismatic predecessor who enjoyed high oil prices for much of his time in office. |
| “The people haven’t been listened to. Only the top brass rules,” said Mariela Infante, a community leader in Bolivar, as she shuttled people to vote. | “The people haven’t been listened to. Only the top brass rules,” said Mariela Infante, a community leader in Bolivar, as she shuttled people to vote. |
| “There are many people in power who are not revolutionaries in their heart, but those of us who are supporting this constituent assembly are from the people.” | “There are many people in power who are not revolutionaries in their heart, but those of us who are supporting this constituent assembly are from the people.” |
| Voters do not have the choice of whether to proceed with the assembly, only to select its 545 members from more than 6,100 candidates representing a broad array of United Socialist party allies. | Voters do not have the choice of whether to proceed with the assembly, only to select its 545 members from more than 6,100 candidates representing a broad array of United Socialist party allies. |
| The assembly is due to sit within 72 hours of results being certified. A significant portion of its seats are expected to go to government loyalists such as former vice president (under Chávez) Diosdado Cabello Rondón and Maduro’s wife and son. | The assembly is due to sit within 72 hours of results being certified. A significant portion of its seats are expected to go to government loyalists such as former vice president (under Chávez) Diosdado Cabello Rondón and Maduro’s wife and son. |